The Armenian Connection

Pastry chef Maro Nalabandian places the special cheeses into an ice cooler as the temperatures rose into the high ninetys at the annual festival on June 7.

Photo by Louise Krafft/Gazette

The Arax Armenian Dance Ensemble reforms onstage to do a second set of dances.

Photo by Louise Krafft/Gazette

Emcees of the festival were Dean Shahinian, Esq., Artemis Jerikan and Meganoosh Avakian.

Photo by Louise Krafft/Gazette

The welcoming ceremony included Rev. Sarkis Aktavoukian, pastor of Soorp Khatch Armenian Church; Virginia Senator Patsy Ticer; Vice Mayor Del Pepper; Rev. Hovsep Karapetyan, pastor of St. Mary Armenian Church and the Honorable Vardan Barseghian, representative of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh. The group is joined by the emcees Dean Shahinian, Esq., Artemis Jerikan and Meganoosh Avakian and the Arax Armenian Dance Ensemble.

Photo by Louise Krafft/Gazette

Children’s activities were set up inside the lobby at City Hall.

Photo by Louise Krafft/Gazette

Visitors enjoyed the shade of the trees as the temperature continued to climb during the afternoon.

Photo by Louise Krafft/Gazette

The dance ensemble perform traditional Armenian folk dances.

The tenth annual Armenian festival was celebrated at Market Square in Alexandria on June 7. Despite the fact that the temperature soared into the high 90s, visitors still had fun, enjoying the folk dances and the food.